White Sox slash prices to attract more fans next season

White Sox slash prices to attract more fans next season
Despite having a winning season under new manager Robin Ventura, the White Sox couldn't attract many fans this season. AP
White Sox slash prices to attract more fans next season
Despite having a winning season under new manager Robin Ventura, the White Sox couldn't attract many fans this season. AP

White Sox slash prices to attract more fans next season

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The Cubs and the White Sox agree on little, but they see eye to eye on one thing: They have to lower ticket prices.

The Sox are lowing prices for season tickets next year and even for parking near their South Side stadium.

That’s primarily because the team attracted just under two millions fans to U.S. Cellular Field this past season, despite their unexpected success under new manager Robin Ventura.

The club stayed in first place much of the season but ultimately missed the playoffs. That scenario would normally translate into higher attendance. When that didn’t happen, Sox brass wanted to know why. So, it commissioned a study to do just that.

Prior to the study’s release, Sox vice president of marketing Brooks Boyer told WBEZ that it wasn’t one factor that’s keeping fans away.

“There’s a lot of things that come into play and it’s things that we’re addressing so as we head into next year, we’ll put ourselves in position to be able to attract more fans,” Boyer said.

The study suggests one of the main factors as to why fans are stayed away this season was because of high ticket prices.

To appease fans, the Sox will lower prices for season tickets by at least 30 percent and feature $7-upper-deck corner seats for most games next year. Tickets for lower deck corner seats will also be available for most games at just $20.

Parking will also come down from $23 to $20.

Past experience shows the Sox can attract a lot of fans to the ballpark. In 2006, the year after it won the World Series, nearly 3 million fans took in a game at U.S. Cellular Field, the most the team ever had.  

The Sox ticket announcement came a day after the crosstown rival Cubs also said it was cutting ticket prices after a 101-loss season.